Hunt for double child maintenance woman

Gavel

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
MIDLANDS Provincial Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa has issued a warrant of arrest for a Gweru woman who allegedly got maintenance to the tune of $4 200 for one child from two men who are both not the father of the child.

Ottilia Mushipe (34) of 2613 Mkoba Village 7, Gweru first appeared in court in December charged with fraud for claiming child maintenance fees from two men.

She was remanded out of custody on free bail, but did not show up in court yesterday prompting Mrs Msipa to issue a warrant for her arrest.

Mushipe, the court heard, claimed maintenance from both Mr Siyapi Sindiso of Mkoba Village 10 and Mr Ezekiel Chifamba whose address was not given, amounting to $4 200 for the upkeep of her 13-year-old daughter whom she allegedly sired with Mr Tawanda Muchinani.

Mr Sindiso and Mr Chifamba who contributed $2 600 and $1 600 respectively approached the police after they realised that they were paying for the upkeep of the same child leading to Mushipe’s arrest.

On March 21 in 2016, Mushipe went to the Gweru Civil Court where she claimed maintenance for the upkeep of her daughter from Mr Sindiso under the pretext that he was the father of her daughter.

The court ordered Mr Sindiso to pay $50 monthly.In July of the same year, Mushipe approached the same court seeking an upward variation to $100 and the application was granted.

In December 2016 the accused again approached the civil court seeking another upward variation to $300 which was granted.

The amount was however reviewed downwards to $100 in April. The matter came to light last month when Mr Sindiso realised that Mr Chifamba was paying maintenance for the same child and was at one time arrested for defaulting when his arrears were  $1 000.

Mr Chifamba was paying $170 for the upkeep of the child after he was taken to court sometime in 2016.Mr Andrew Marimo appeared for the state.

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